Ex-minister's irresponsible and reckless statement caused irreparable damage to PIA
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has reportedly suffered over Rs200 billion in losses stemming from a 2020 claim by a federal minister alleging that a large number of its pilots held fake or dubious licences.
The statement, made by then Aviation
Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government,
triggered immediate international backlash. Regulatory authorities in the UK,
European Union, and United States imposed bans on PIA flights, leading to
significant operational and reputational damage.
The fallout included an estimated
Rs12.7 billion in direct profit losses, in addition to broader revenue losses
totaling over Rs200 billion. Dozens of Pakistani pilots working abroad were
suspended or dismissed. Insurance costs for the airline surged, and Pakistan’s
overall international aviation safety rating declined sharply. The scandal also
cast doubt on the integrity of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
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A senior official described the
episode as “a textbook case of mismanaging a national issue on the
international stage.” Despite the scale of the damage, no individuals have been
held accountable, and no official inquiry findings have been released.
The UK recently lifted its four-year
ban on PIA, following a similar move by the EU and US, allowing the airline to
gradually return to some of its most lucrative international routes. These
developments are seen as positive for PIA, particularly in the context of the
government’s ongoing efforts to privatize the airline.
Still, unresolved questions persist
about the long-term impact of the so-called “fake pilot licence” scandal—chief
among them: who, if anyone, will be held responsible for the immense financial
and reputational damage inflicted on Pakistan’s flag carrier?
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The crisis began in June 2020 when
Minister Khan publicly claimed that a significant number of Pakistani pilots
held fraudulent licences. The claim was made without verification or the
completion of any official investigation—yet it prompted swift and far-reaching
international restrictions, the consequences of which are still being felt
today.
Source: Profit Pakistan